A88594:550
A treatise of effectual calling and election. In XVI. sermons, on 2 Pet. 1.10…
A treatise of effectual calling and election. In XVI. sermons, on 2 Pet. 1.10 Wherein a Christian may discern, whether yet he be effectually called and elected. And what course he ought to take that he may attain the assurance thereof. Preached by that faithful servant of Christ, Mr. Christopher Love, late minister of Lawrence Jury, London.
London: printed for John Rothwell, 1653
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The Lord there makes it the badge of them that are not elected, that they are a blinded people, and a hardened people. Intimating, that men that are not elected, they shall live under the word, yet shall be blind in mind, shall be hard in heart, shall be wicked in life, and the Ministry of the word shall never reform them. And if any of you be such, O that the Lord would make you tremble this day, tremble lest you are not in Gods thoughts, to do you any good another day.
The Lord there makes it the badge of them that are not elected, that they are a blinded people, and a hardned people. Intimating, that men that are not elected, they shall live under the word, yet shall be blind in mind, shall be hard in heart, shall be wicked in life, and the Ministry of the word shall never reforme them. And if any of you be such, O that the Lord would make you tremble this day, tremble lest you are not in Gods thoughts, to doe you any good another day.
Fifthly, when God doth give up men to strong delusions, not only to believe lies themselves, but to teach lies to seduce others, when the Lord leaves men to live and die in that estate, the Scripture makes it an argument of them that are not chosen by God to life and glory. You shall read therefore in that great delusion of Antichrist, 2 Thes. 2.10, 11, 12. God gave them up to strong delusions, to believe lies, that all might be damned, that believe not the truth? It is made a brand of damnation, when God shall give them over to believe lies. Though a godly man may die in a corrupt opinion, for every ⟨p. 216⟩error is not a badge of damnation; but errors that are fundamental, that strike at the foundation of Religion, wherein men run so far, as never to repent of their error; that, the Scripture makes the badge of a man, whose soul is in a world of danger. Read that Text, 2 Pet. 2.1, 2, 3. There were false Prophets among the people, like as there shall be false Teachers among you. And who are they? vers. 2. They shall deny the Lord that bought them, they shall bring in damnable heresies. (Every error is not a heresy,) but these men shall bring in damnable heresies, and many shall follow their pernicious ways. Now what is their censure? whose judgement now of a long time lingers not, and their damnation slumbers not. Their damnation was not asleep, but for a long time damnation did attend them, and they were in danger of it. So that, beloved, it is great danger for men to be patrons of error, especially when they are gross and palpable; and when in Scripture language they may be called damnable heresies. It is an argument, if men live and die thus, that they are not within the purpose of Gods Counsel to do them good.